This invention relates to a process for producing gasoline blending components. More specifically, this invention relates to the processing of paraffinic and olefinic hydrocarbons in an integrated system to produce gasoline blending components.
Recent governmental regulations in response to the 1990 Clean Air Act have resulted in the requirement that motor gasoline be reformulated to include greater concentration levels of oxygenates and lower concentrations of aromatic and olefinic hydrocarbons. Other such regulations require reductions in permissible gasoline vapor pressure.
However, the removal of at least some of the aromatic and olefinic hydrocarbons from the gasoline pool, due to restrictions on aromatic and olefinic hydrocarbon concentrations, and the removal of normal butane from the gasoline pool, due to restrictions on permissible vapor pressure, will result in reducing the available gasoline pool octane.
In addition, C5 olefins contained in some gasoline blending stocks have good octane characteristics but are also very volatile and contribute greatly to ozone and smog formation in the lower atmosphere. For this reason, there is an incentive to remove C5 olefins from gasoline, however, the octane lost from such removal has to be replaced.
Therefore, development of a process to convert C5 olefins to a high octane, low vapor pressure gasoline blending stock would be a significant contribution to the art and to the economy.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an integrated process for upgrading paraffins and olefins to produce valuable gasoline blending components.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an integrated process for upgrading paraffins and olefins which reduces the operating costs associated with the produced gasoline blending components.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an integrated process for upgrading a gasoline blending stock by reducing the C5 olefin concentration while maintaining its octane rating.
In accordance with the present invention, a process for upgrading paraffins and olefins has been discovered comprising the steps of:
a) hydroisomerizing said hydrocarbon feedstock in a hydroisomerization zone so as to produce a hydroisomerate stream; and
b) alkylating at least a portion of said hydroisomerate stream by a branched chain paraffin hydrocarbon in an alkylation unit to produce an alkylate stream.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description and the appended claims.